Asked by: Catherine McKinnell (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne North)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether his Department has conducted an impact assessment of the potential effects on businesses in (a) the North East and (b) the UK of leaving the EU VAT area.
Answered by Robin Walker
We are committed to getting the best possible deal for the United Kingdom - a deal that works for all parts of the UK, including the North East. We continue to engage with businesses and industry bodies from all sectors of the economy, and all regions and nations of the UK, in order to inform our negotiations.
The Government’s recent White Paper on the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union proposes the application of common cross-border process and procedures on VAT and excise, along with administrative cooperation and information exchange. The UK will not be a part of the EU single VAT area, but these common processes would facilitate payments and underpin risk-based enforcement, keeping tax and duty processes as close as possible to what they are currently.
The Government is undertaking a wide range of ongoing analysis in support of our EU exit negotiations and preparations. This analysis helps define our future partnership with the EU, and informs our understanding of how EU exit will affect the UK’s domestic policies and frameworks. Ministers have a specific responsibility, which Parliament has endorsed, not to release information that would reveal our negotiating position and so the Government will not provide an ongoing commentary on internal analytical work.
Asked by: Catherine McKinnell (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne North)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the North East Brexit Group's report, Leaving the European Union, published on 4 June 2018.
Answered by Steve Baker
We welcome the report from the North East Brexit Group. The Government is committed to positive and productive engagement with key business stakeholders, academic institutions and local government in the North East, as well as all of the UK, to understand the potential impact and opportunities presented by EU Exit. We are undertaking a wide range of ongoing analysis in support of our EU exit negotiations and preparations and so will consider this report as part of that.
We are committed to getting the best possible deal for the United Kingdom - a deal that works for all parts of the UK including the North East.
Our overall programme of work is comprehensive, thorough and is continuously updated.
The Government has confirmed that when we bring forward the vote on the final deal, we will ensure that Parliament is presented with the appropriate analysis to make an informed decision.
Asked by: Catherine McKinnell (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne North)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if he will make an assessment of the implications for the Government's policies of the Oliver Wyman report entitled The Red Tape Cost of Brexit, published on 12 March 2018.
Answered by Steve Baker
The Government is undertaking a wide range of analysis and preparatory work that will contribute to our exit negotiations with the EU, to define our future partnership with the EU, and to inform our understanding of how EU exit will affect the UK’s domestic policies and frameworks.
It is not our usual practice to comment publicly on individual external publications, however we recognise the importance of contributions to the public debate.
I would note that the analysis to which the Hon. Member refers considers the scenario in which we do not reach a deal with the EU. The Government is clear that we want our future relationship with the EU to be a deep and special partnership, taking in both economic and security cooperation. We are confident that this is in the interests of both sides, so we approach these negotiations anticipating success. We do not want or expect a no deal outcome.
Asked by: Catherine McKinnell (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne North)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment he has made of the economic consequences for the North East of leaving the Customs Union after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Government are committed to getting the best possible deal for the United Kingdom - a deal that works for all parts of the UK, including the North East.
By leaving the Customs Union and establishing a new and ambitious customs arrangement with the EU, we will be able to forge new trade relationships with our partners around the world, which we believe will boost the economies of regions like the North East.
We are undertaking a wide range of analysis and preparatory work that will contribute to our exit negotiations with the EU, to define our future partnership with the EU, and to inform our understanding of how EU exit will affect the UK’s domestic policies and frameworks.
However, ministers have a specific responsibility, which Parliament has endorsed, not to release information that could expose our negotiating position.